City squander succession of chances and forced to accept share of the spoils...

George Thomas nets for the Sky Blues, as they are forced to accept a drop to League Two after only picking up a point against visiting Charlton.

After a delay to kick-off - pigs really do fly - Jodi Jones was the first City player to look threatening for the home side. The winger, recalled to the starting XI in place of Kyel Reid, was well found by Ryan Haynes advancing down the left, before chopping inside and fizzing a cross along the six yard line.

Declan Rudd got a solid hand to the delivery and turned to safety, as Stuart Beavon failed to connect with the rebound. Another six minutes elapsed, before Jordan Willis was mirroring Haynes’ energy down the right.

The City skipper surged forward, using his pace to escape from Jay Dasilva and found Beavon with a clever pass. The striker moved the ball on to G.Thomas, before the linesman put halt to the attack with the offside flag.

With the visitors growing in confidence, Jay Dasilva put a teasing cross in to the box in the 20th minute. Nathan Byrne had eluded his marker and sent a header crashing against the City upright, before Josh Magennis blasted over seconds later.

Just before the half-hour mark, City had edged their way in front courtesy of in-form G.Thomas. The Welshman extended his scoring tally to eight for the season, firing home from close range to give the home side a deserved lead.

Gael Bigirimana tried from distance moments later, but the drive was well held by Rudd in the Charlton goal. And the Addicks stopper was made to work again in the following minutes, as he got fingertips to a Jones effort.

The teenager broke away from his marker, and fired goalward, with Rudd effectively tipping around the far post. Magennis tested Burge at the opposite end, to no avail, before the referee called time on a lively first half.

City were quicker out on the traps in the second period and could have doubled their lead, as a smart bit of improvisation from half-time introduction Kwame Thomas nearly paid dividends.

The ball flashed across the goal line, before falling to safety, as the Sky Blues looked to capitalise on some early pressure. But just as City should have been out of sight, Charlton had a route back in to the game.

A simple corner was floated in to the area by Ricky Holmes, and arriving at the back post was centre-half Patrick Bauer. Unmarked, the defender headed in to an empty net and restored parity in the 54th minute.

The home side again had chances in the ensuing ten minutes, as Jones went close multiple times, before Farrend Rawson nearly got his head to a delivery from the left.

G.Thomas could have doubled his tally for the day in the 70th minute, as Lameiras thread a pass in to the path of the 20-year old in the area. With Rudd advancing, Thomas took the chance early, only for the Charlton stopper to pull off another smart stop.

Rudd perhaps earned himself the man of the match award for a succession of second-half saves, as City dominated, but couldn’t find any further breakthrough.